At countless outlets around the world, there are small credit card displays that contain applications for credit card offerings from American Express. As it turns out, these applications are coded with information reflecting the promoter that provided the location for the credit card display. In many instances, a promoter is the owner or management of a small business that provides a small space where members of the general public can take a card application from the credit card application display. Should an application results in an opened account, a fee is paid to the promoter, whose identity is determined by the code that appears on the application. For example, if an individual picks up an American Express credit card application from a pamphlet display at Joe's Pizza Parlor, applies for the credit card, and the credit card account is subsequently opened and the credit card is issued, then American Express will financially compensate Joe's Pizza Parlor for its efforts as a promoter based on the coded application.
Industries, business entities, and non-profit entities spend billions of dollars a year promoting goods and services. In the year 2000, drug companies spent $15.7 billion on promotional expenditures. In the same year, the drug company Merck & Co. spent $160.8 million to promote a single drug (“Vioxx”). Drug companies especially focus on direct-to-consumer advertising, with the desired end result being the patient asking the physician about certain drugs by name. Every indication shows that the strategy works well. While it is conceivable that a company, individual or other entity could pay to have advertising placed on communications (such as a billing statement for a credit card) there are other means that are worth consideration.